Barnyard Banter

As we rode up to the sheep shed this morning at 6 am, dark and 2 degrees, outside near the hay feeder sat Candy the Great Pyr (not unusual) guarding the pregnant due to deliver ewe 1214 laying beside her(unusual). All of the other sheep were inside the barn. Any time a pregnant ewe separates themselves from the herd, something is about to happen. Sure enough, when she stood up, it was obvious she was in labor and trying to deliver. We herded her into one of the lambing pens in the barn and watched while we finished our chores. Nothing happened, so, learning from earlier experience, we knew it was time to intervene. The first lamb (brown with white spot on her head) was breech and had to be pulled feet first. She was limp and not breathing at first, but after clearing her airway, she started breathing. It took nearly an hour for her to stand on all four feet. We waited, allowing mama to clean and warm the first baby hoping the second would come on its own. The ewe tried, but something still wasn't right. The second lamb was head first, with one leg forward and one leg backward, preventing her from being born. So, once again we helped. This baby came out wide awake and alert, and was on its feet within minutes. This evening, mama and both babies were doing well.

As if that wasn't enough excitement for the day, we have had no water in the township. It was gone Sunday, back for a few hours Monday, then gone again Monday evening. Today the water company gave away bottled water, and fire trucks delivered water to farms for livestock. Two wonderful volunteer firemen from Windsor township showed up in my driveway to deliver water. I had to smile when one of them said, "ma'am I cant get this fire truck up that hill." I told him I would take it up on the gator in a barrel. He looked up the hill, shook his head and said, "I'm not going with you." They filled a 55 gallon barrel plus some 5 gallon buckets with water. It wasn't a moment too soon, because the sheep's tank was nearly empty. I really think developing a natural water source on the hill will be a priority this year.